Winter's first storm brings snowy conditions, school closures to Minnesota

AVION, Minn. (KMSP) - Students across west-central Minnesota got a bit of a surprise Monday when school leaders at several districts decided to dismiss classes and cancel after-school activities Tuesday as it became increasingly clear they were standing in the path of the season's first snowstorm.

Minnewaska, Alexandria, Brandon and Evansville--among others--all made the call before Monday before the snow began to fly, anticipating blizzard conditions as winter weather finally arrives.

Osakis Superintendent Randall Berquist is in his first year on the job, and spent the day Monday trying to make the difficult decision whether or not to make his first school closure. It's a rite of passage for Minnesota school administrators, and it certainly won't be the last tough snow day decision for Berquist.

"Obviously, you make a decision, somebody’s going to be upset whether you cancel or you don’t cancel," he said. "From my perspective, I want to make sure safety is the number one priority."

Areas west of Alexandria saw the weather first, with images from Fargo and Grand Forks this afternoon giving those in the storm's path a glimpse of what's in store this evening and overnight.

It was a tale of two states just to the south, however, as the Twin Cities metro saw mild rain that experts say could turn into snow overnight, with the potential for icy conditions for Tuesday's morning commute.